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Sky Lands
Spirit of a Kyrie
A young girl dreams of becoming one of the greatest knights of all...
In a white desert at a time of famine, Kit is among the starving children who beg and thieve the streets. Until one day, she discovers she has the makings of a great knight. Becoming a knight would bring her family wealth and prestige, but it also means risking her life to pass the Tests... Each book in the Sky Lands series is a standalone. The books can be read in any order.
"good on atmosphere, and good on action... it manages condensed eloquence and power." - Adam Roberts, three-time Arthur C. Clarke Award nominee
"a really engaging read... it had me hooked, and kept me wanting to read on." - Nick Gifford, bestselling teen fiction author
In a white desert at a time of famine, Kit is among the starving children who beg and thieve the streets. Until one day, she discovers she has the makings of a great knight. Becoming a knight would bring her family wealth and prestige, but it also means risking her life to pass the Tests... Each book in the Sky Lands series is a standalone. The books can be read in any order.
"good on atmosphere, and good on action... it manages condensed eloquence and power." - Adam Roberts, three-time Arthur C. Clarke Award nominee
"a really engaging read... it had me hooked, and kept me wanting to read on." - Nick Gifford, bestselling teen fiction author
533 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2014
35 people are currently reading
2090 people want to read
About the author
T.L. Rese
3 books53 followersRese has been imagining the fantastic since she was a child. She grew up wandering through myriad book worlds, and her taste for crazy tales eventually led to a BA in English from UC Berkeley and a PhD in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London. When she’s not writing about the impossible, she’s pursuing various interests, such as traveling, photographing, horseback riding, and piano playing; she especially enjoys sleeping and dreaming.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 13, 2015
I had a very difficult time reviewing this book. There are some writing elements I found fantastic, while others were horrific. For the most part, though, the overall feeling I had while reading this was that it was okay. I had some difficulty finishing the book, frankly, but since it was a Goodreads Giveaway I felt I had an obligation to see it through and give it a full and honest review.
Spirit of a Kyrie is a book in the Sky Lands series, which at present appears to be just two books by T.L. Rese. The books are standalone stories in the world and are not required to be read in any specific order. I have not read the other book in the series, so I can't offer any opinion on whether doing so would have improved this read. I can say that the author has spent a great deal of time and energy on world building. While it wasn't executed at the level of a Brandon Sanderson, for instance, there was obviously a depth to the world beyond what happened in those pages.
The strength of the world building was in its organization and diversity. The author created various new forms of wildlife, of plants and terrain, and even basic elemental landscapes. The deserts don't work quite like our deserts, or the oceans like our oceans. Fantastic creatures fill lands dominated by unique and mystical environs. Unfortunately this aspect of the story, arguably the finest skill of the author, was weakened by a failure to explore the descriptions of these fantastic pieces in a way that could ground them in a relatable reality. T.L. Rese has an obvious gift for descriptive prose when she puts effort into it (often found at the beginning of chapters, but quickly falling away as they progress). Unfortunately these descriptions often spiraled away from the task of setting the visual stage as they degraded into the ethereal psychological and metaphysical. I applaud her imagery, but the cost of so little set up was a lot of confusion, and worse, a disconnection from the narrative.
The characters in the novel are interesting, though not particularly dynamic. There is a modicum of growth in the core cast, but ancillary characters are nearly non existent and do little to add depth or color to the story. The energy was clearly all spent on Kit, who herself is quite interesting and deftly written. She manages to avoid many tropes of the genre and carries a clear sense of self throughout the story without leaning on the classic crutches of self doubt, romance, or a faux-strength. She is confident and driven, caring and complex. If the rest of the cast were treated with the same level of expertise, T.L. Rese's writing would be a force to be reckoned with.
For a final note I'd like to mention a relatively minor point, but one to which I am particularly sensitive. It is a sign of a weak editor in the process, not necessarily a deficiency in the writer herself. There is a point in the final act of the novel where a character is about to take a bath. The narrative is then immediately interrupted in order to explain the differences in all the previous locations' bathing processes and facilities. These were not elements in the story at any point to date, and their facts were rattled off the way a drunk friend at a bar would interrupt himself to explain, "Oh, let me backtrack and explain the rules of baccarat before I finish telling you about my date."
In the first place, the details served no purpose to the story. They were elements of the world that crept into the book and would have colored it nicely as a backdrop. Unfortunately the backdrop came to the foreground where it had no business. This isn't necessary a problem in writing, this happens. Normally we just breeze on by and never notice. The problem was only compounded when it illustrated the obvious need to do revision work. The author remembered an aspect of the settings that she wanted to make clear to her audience, but only came to the idea near the end of the book. The settings deserved to be in place, in context, but those scenes were already written. Here's where the editor should have stepped in and made the recommendations that would have helped with the first issue I mentioned regarding setting.
I say all of this as a way of demonstrating a theme I encountered while reading the book, not for the specifics of that example. This is a book with a solid compelling story written by an author with obvious talent for both prose, world building, and characterization. The book scored three stars for me, and I have a sense some of that score stems from my guilt over criticizing and author who was kind enough to sign a Giveaway. The problems in this story are all something that can be overcome with attention to the writing craft and with time and experience. I fully expect T.L. Rese to vastly improve in the books to come, just as Brandon Sanderson grew through similar issues in Elantris into the powerhouse he demonstrates himself to be in the Stormlight Archive.
I hope my review, if seen by the author, sends the message, "please keep writing and give us better and better stories." She surely has the potential.
Spirit of a Kyrie is a book in the Sky Lands series, which at present appears to be just two books by T.L. Rese. The books are standalone stories in the world and are not required to be read in any specific order. I have not read the other book in the series, so I can't offer any opinion on whether doing so would have improved this read. I can say that the author has spent a great deal of time and energy on world building. While it wasn't executed at the level of a Brandon Sanderson, for instance, there was obviously a depth to the world beyond what happened in those pages.
The strength of the world building was in its organization and diversity. The author created various new forms of wildlife, of plants and terrain, and even basic elemental landscapes. The deserts don't work quite like our deserts, or the oceans like our oceans. Fantastic creatures fill lands dominated by unique and mystical environs. Unfortunately this aspect of the story, arguably the finest skill of the author, was weakened by a failure to explore the descriptions of these fantastic pieces in a way that could ground them in a relatable reality. T.L. Rese has an obvious gift for descriptive prose when she puts effort into it (often found at the beginning of chapters, but quickly falling away as they progress). Unfortunately these descriptions often spiraled away from the task of setting the visual stage as they degraded into the ethereal psychological and metaphysical. I applaud her imagery, but the cost of so little set up was a lot of confusion, and worse, a disconnection from the narrative.
The characters in the novel are interesting, though not particularly dynamic. There is a modicum of growth in the core cast, but ancillary characters are nearly non existent and do little to add depth or color to the story. The energy was clearly all spent on Kit, who herself is quite interesting and deftly written. She manages to avoid many tropes of the genre and carries a clear sense of self throughout the story without leaning on the classic crutches of self doubt, romance, or a faux-strength. She is confident and driven, caring and complex. If the rest of the cast were treated with the same level of expertise, T.L. Rese's writing would be a force to be reckoned with.
For a final note I'd like to mention a relatively minor point, but one to which I am particularly sensitive. It is a sign of a weak editor in the process, not necessarily a deficiency in the writer herself. There is a point in the final act of the novel where a character is about to take a bath. The narrative is then immediately interrupted in order to explain the differences in all the previous locations' bathing processes and facilities. These were not elements in the story at any point to date, and their facts were rattled off the way a drunk friend at a bar would interrupt himself to explain, "Oh, let me backtrack and explain the rules of baccarat before I finish telling you about my date."
In the first place, the details served no purpose to the story. They were elements of the world that crept into the book and would have colored it nicely as a backdrop. Unfortunately the backdrop came to the foreground where it had no business. This isn't necessary a problem in writing, this happens. Normally we just breeze on by and never notice. The problem was only compounded when it illustrated the obvious need to do revision work. The author remembered an aspect of the settings that she wanted to make clear to her audience, but only came to the idea near the end of the book. The settings deserved to be in place, in context, but those scenes were already written. Here's where the editor should have stepped in and made the recommendations that would have helped with the first issue I mentioned regarding setting.
I say all of this as a way of demonstrating a theme I encountered while reading the book, not for the specifics of that example. This is a book with a solid compelling story written by an author with obvious talent for both prose, world building, and characterization. The book scored three stars for me, and I have a sense some of that score stems from my guilt over criticizing and author who was kind enough to sign a Giveaway. The problems in this story are all something that can be overcome with attention to the writing craft and with time and experience. I fully expect T.L. Rese to vastly improve in the books to come, just as Brandon Sanderson grew through similar issues in Elantris into the powerhouse he demonstrates himself to be in the Stormlight Archive.
I hope my review, if seen by the author, sends the message, "please keep writing and give us better and better stories." She surely has the potential.
April 28, 2021
This book was well ehhh a disappointment. I didn’t dislike it to the point where i want to say too many things about it. Its simply not a book I enjoyed.
One of the biggest reasons was its boring writing style. Im a reader who enjoys the prose and storytelling more if the writings is more atmospheric or sombre and this book was neither of them. It just didn’t do anything for me and while i say this, it’s important to point out the writing style was not bad, it simply was not something i enjoyed!
The next is the plot and characters. This book falls deep into your typical tropes and unfortunately there weren’t any nuances or layers for me to be invested as a reader. I found a lack of character development especially with Kit and the cast... was so boring, idk thats how I’d describe the book in one word.
The pacing too felt so slow and i was expecting for something solid to happen and yeah well i was bored all throughout.
Note: i received an eARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review via NetGalley.
One of the biggest reasons was its boring writing style. Im a reader who enjoys the prose and storytelling more if the writings is more atmospheric or sombre and this book was neither of them. It just didn’t do anything for me and while i say this, it’s important to point out the writing style was not bad, it simply was not something i enjoyed!
The next is the plot and characters. This book falls deep into your typical tropes and unfortunately there weren’t any nuances or layers for me to be invested as a reader. I found a lack of character development especially with Kit and the cast... was so boring, idk thats how I’d describe the book in one word.
The pacing too felt so slow and i was expecting for something solid to happen and yeah well i was bored all throughout.
Note: i received an eARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review via NetGalley.
May 23, 2017
I got this in a goodreads giveaway (much like the other reviews on here lol) and was eager to see what the fruits of my giveaway labors had wrought. Spirit of a Kyrie by T.L. Rese takes us to the Land of Sky and, more specifically, the desert of Sallarah, where young Kit and her family struggle, like so many others, against the wasting famine that continues to plague their land year after year. Wanting nothing more than to escape the rolling white sands, Kit escapes her destined fate as a Shoremans' wife and sets out for the Citadel of Ashes, and it's not long before her talent in the martial arts earns her a place amongst the Ash hopefuls. As she and her friends face trail after trail, traveling from one school to another as they hone their skills while reaching for their ultimate goal, that of becoming a Kyrie, the highest of all knight orders.
I went back and forth with this book the whole time I was reading it, and honestly give it a 3.8/ 5. On a whole, I quite enjoyed the story of young Kits rise to ultimate status, sacrificing everything for the chance of reaching her goals. The world, a blend of medieval fantasy with some sci-fi seasoning, was rich and colorful and filled with a wide variety of likable characters. The story rolled along, forcing the reader to endure the hardships and take part in the celebrations as they came, and contained enough plot twists to keep it interesting. I will, however, say that the book was also written very simply, and I wish that we had seen a lot more of the training and learning of the essential knight skills than we did. In fact, it seemed right from the first chapter that, without having ever really handled a weapon, Kit fell into the "over-powered protagonist" category, and what's worse? None of the characters every really touch base on it. I don't require that my heroes be superhuman and the best at everything they do. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend/ read again.
I went back and forth with this book the whole time I was reading it, and honestly give it a 3.8/ 5. On a whole, I quite enjoyed the story of young Kits rise to ultimate status, sacrificing everything for the chance of reaching her goals. The world, a blend of medieval fantasy with some sci-fi seasoning, was rich and colorful and filled with a wide variety of likable characters. The story rolled along, forcing the reader to endure the hardships and take part in the celebrations as they came, and contained enough plot twists to keep it interesting. I will, however, say that the book was also written very simply, and I wish that we had seen a lot more of the training and learning of the essential knight skills than we did. In fact, it seemed right from the first chapter that, without having ever really handled a weapon, Kit fell into the "over-powered protagonist" category, and what's worse? None of the characters every really touch base on it. I don't require that my heroes be superhuman and the best at everything they do. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend/ read again.
February 23, 2021
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, like a lot of other reviewers, and this was a tough review for me to write.
It didn't take long to get through this book despite it being so long. The chapters were short enough that I could read them on my commute to work and I didn't have to stress too much about being stuck in the middle of a chapter and having to reread it. So that was a plus.
That being said, I expected this to be a young adult or adult fantasy, but the writing in the beginning of the book was almost as though the author was trying to write a middle grade novel. Some of the writing was reminiscent of Aru Shah and the End of Time or The Lightning Thief. Several chapters in, the book switched gears and started to read more like a young adult novel, but it felt lacking in descriptions and substance.
The world itself felt described well, it had a somewhat atmospheric vibe to it instead of being blatantly specific about describing tiny details. I do quite enjoy atmospheric storytelling, but I didn't like the balance between atmosphere and action in this book, which weren't described very well for me.
Aside from all of this, the book also felt rushed. I barely had enough time to understand what was happening before Kit was off doing something else or going somewhere else. It felt pointless to spend so much time on the atmospheric storytelling element of this book for the characters to just move on again, to a new place, where we get more, slightly different atmospheric storytelling, but not enough to distinguish the places.
I think this would have been more my style if it weren't so fast paced so that I had time to connect to Kit and get a feel for what is going on before she just decided to throw herself into 'the test.' Some more elaboration and explanation would have made it easier for me to connect with this story, but as is, it felt like 2-3 books crammed into one and it was really difficult for me to read because of that.
This is most definitely a plot driven book, whereas I typically lean towards character driven stories. Perhaps this is just a case of 'this book wasn't for me' but it might be right for someone else. In any case, this book has a lot of potential, and I'm interested to see how TL Rese grows as a writer, especially if they stick with this atmospheric type of storytelling (which I usually very much love.)
It didn't take long to get through this book despite it being so long. The chapters were short enough that I could read them on my commute to work and I didn't have to stress too much about being stuck in the middle of a chapter and having to reread it. So that was a plus.
That being said, I expected this to be a young adult or adult fantasy, but the writing in the beginning of the book was almost as though the author was trying to write a middle grade novel. Some of the writing was reminiscent of Aru Shah and the End of Time or The Lightning Thief. Several chapters in, the book switched gears and started to read more like a young adult novel, but it felt lacking in descriptions and substance.
The world itself felt described well, it had a somewhat atmospheric vibe to it instead of being blatantly specific about describing tiny details. I do quite enjoy atmospheric storytelling, but I didn't like the balance between atmosphere and action in this book, which weren't described very well for me.
Aside from all of this, the book also felt rushed. I barely had enough time to understand what was happening before Kit was off doing something else or going somewhere else. It felt pointless to spend so much time on the atmospheric storytelling element of this book for the characters to just move on again, to a new place, where we get more, slightly different atmospheric storytelling, but not enough to distinguish the places.
I think this would have been more my style if it weren't so fast paced so that I had time to connect to Kit and get a feel for what is going on before she just decided to throw herself into 'the test.' Some more elaboration and explanation would have made it easier for me to connect with this story, but as is, it felt like 2-3 books crammed into one and it was really difficult for me to read because of that.
This is most definitely a plot driven book, whereas I typically lean towards character driven stories. Perhaps this is just a case of 'this book wasn't for me' but it might be right for someone else. In any case, this book has a lot of potential, and I'm interested to see how TL Rese grows as a writer, especially if they stick with this atmospheric type of storytelling (which I usually very much love.)
May 30, 2020
Great book
September 1, 2021
This is very much a first book. The setting is interesting and imaginative. The writing will doubtlessly mature, but in this book you can feel the work in getting the sentences to come together.
Read
December 31, 2020This book was received as an ARC from T.L. Reese in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was really happy to read the description that you did not have to read the books in order for understanding because it wasn't until after I downloaded this book that I realized this was a series. I was so engaged with the writing style of this and the journey Kit goes through stealing and begging for what she needs to survive and then by fate she discovered she has the potential to become a knight and finally gives her family the love and prosperity they deserve but it comes at a price...her life at risk. This book was so invigorating that I did not want to stop reading and I can not wait to read the rest of the series.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I was really happy to read the description that you did not have to read the books in order for understanding because it wasn't until after I downloaded this book that I realized this was a series. I was so engaged with the writing style of this and the journey Kit goes through stealing and begging for what she needs to survive and then by fate she discovered she has the potential to become a knight and finally gives her family the love and prosperity they deserve but it comes at a price...her life at risk. This book was so invigorating that I did not want to stop reading and I can not wait to read the rest of the series.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
June 3, 2020
Sallarah Desert. The drought had taken its toll on the Sallahri people, animals, & crops.
King Cerhared (Alhallra) had waged the Dabian War on Moreina, so he could claim the Moreina river for Alhallra & the Sallahri PPL.
Sallahri. Knight Kityrah “Kit” (Kyrion, sister) & Babian “Bab” (brother) had managed to get away with some food.
Shanerah (f) & her lama made their way across the sand dunes.
Geordian, Alezio (older brother), Babian & Wolly Curls were all sleeping.
Kit (Sallahri) & Bo had arrived.
Temple of Salyn. Kit went to honor her Christo (brother) & father who had perished.
Nest stop Citadel of the Ashes, & then the Citadel of Furia.
Kit met Mentor Saviah, Temahl, & Kityrah.
Cyrian (son) told Kit he saw the Gift Stones during his pilgrimage.
Leddain led the meditation trainings that Remmy, Temmy, & Cyrian were in.
In the caves the maggots were everywhere.
Then came the fire leeches.
Would Kit, Remmy, Temmy, & Cyrian make it to Kyrion (Alhallra)?
It was time to take the Kyrion Test.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written fantasy book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. It wasn’t as exciting as I hope so I will only rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author (s); Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
King Cerhared (Alhallra) had waged the Dabian War on Moreina, so he could claim the Moreina river for Alhallra & the Sallahri PPL.
Sallahri. Knight Kityrah “Kit” (Kyrion, sister) & Babian “Bab” (brother) had managed to get away with some food.
Shanerah (f) & her lama made their way across the sand dunes.
Geordian, Alezio (older brother), Babian & Wolly Curls were all sleeping.
Kit (Sallahri) & Bo had arrived.
Temple of Salyn. Kit went to honor her Christo (brother) & father who had perished.
Nest stop Citadel of the Ashes, & then the Citadel of Furia.
Kit met Mentor Saviah, Temahl, & Kityrah.
Cyrian (son) told Kit he saw the Gift Stones during his pilgrimage.
Leddain led the meditation trainings that Remmy, Temmy, & Cyrian were in.
In the caves the maggots were everywhere.
Then came the fire leeches.
Would Kit, Remmy, Temmy, & Cyrian make it to Kyrion (Alhallra)?
It was time to take the Kyrion Test.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written fantasy book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. It wasn’t as exciting as I hope so I will only rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author (s); Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
May 18, 2021
3.5/5 Incredible world building. Should have been 2-3 books!
Things I loved:
- The writing in general was great. The author used descriptive language beautifully and created a certain atmospheric world building and storytelling style. It was all vivid images and feelings as new elements this fantastical world were presented.
- Kit’s family were wonderful and it would have been great to get a bit more about them. The desert and glimpses of life at the Shores were excellent.
- The action was well handled in terms of driving the plot forward, and most of the battle scenes were full on and filled with adrenaline.
- I would love a wolly and a firebird, to taste Poa and to see the poa fields along the Shores. The imagery was stunning!
Things I struggled with:
- A lack of balance between the atmospheric storytelling and the action. I was often left wanting for details, particularly in the descriptions of certain creatures that came up over and over, but I had to keep going back to try and reread about them to get an image. I also wanted to slow down and explore more of the world in detail, but it all rushed by in a blur.
- The rush! This is by no means a short novel at 530 pages, but there’s simply so much driving the plot forward that I was regularly left asking “but what about ...?” as we were dragged away from each new place. As things stand, I’m not sure Furia and the second test really served any purpose in the story, other than to show us another unique and atmospheric aspect to the world. We didn’t really even get much form the Mistress or her thoughts, as we did the other two Masters. Feels like there was so much left unsaid and unexplored.
- How cavalier they are with their birds. Loved the idea of both Firebirds and Cinders, but the absolute disregard for their lives and their eggs was really jarring.
- The whole Royal storyline / subplot - I was really gearing up and getting into it, and then it just never went anywhere, and seeing as this is not a series (in the sense it is not to receive a sequel and any stories will be standalones), I just wonder why so much time was spent on the prince, the stones, and the series of betrayals.
What I wish for:
- I really would have loved a greater sense of time. I went back a few times, but by the time we reached Kyria, it had all flown by so quickly, and other than a few passing comments implying it had been some time since Kit had heard from her family, there’s no real indication that much time had passed. It wasn’t until the final letter from family in which her 4 year old brother is now a young man that i blinked in shock and had to reframe the whole experience to understand more than a decade had passed!
- Knowing that, I truly wish this story had been broken into at least two parts. It would lend itself so well to even a trilogy, exploring all the parts of the land, exploring the war and royal elements further, and really developing Kit and her band of knight mates, not to mention her mystery fella.
I enjoyed the story and really wish there’d be at least one more to give us the answers to so much that was left unanswered and unexplored. Get kit out of that damn tub and get the adventure rolling Ha!
*Thanks to the author and HiddenGemsBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Things I loved:
- The writing in general was great. The author used descriptive language beautifully and created a certain atmospheric world building and storytelling style. It was all vivid images and feelings as new elements this fantastical world were presented.
- Kit’s family were wonderful and it would have been great to get a bit more about them. The desert and glimpses of life at the Shores were excellent.
- The action was well handled in terms of driving the plot forward, and most of the battle scenes were full on and filled with adrenaline.
- I would love a wolly and a firebird, to taste Poa and to see the poa fields along the Shores. The imagery was stunning!
Things I struggled with:
- A lack of balance between the atmospheric storytelling and the action. I was often left wanting for details, particularly in the descriptions of certain creatures that came up over and over, but I had to keep going back to try and reread about them to get an image. I also wanted to slow down and explore more of the world in detail, but it all rushed by in a blur.
- The rush! This is by no means a short novel at 530 pages, but there’s simply so much driving the plot forward that I was regularly left asking “but what about ...?” as we were dragged away from each new place. As things stand, I’m not sure Furia and the second test really served any purpose in the story, other than to show us another unique and atmospheric aspect to the world. We didn’t really even get much form the Mistress or her thoughts, as we did the other two Masters. Feels like there was so much left unsaid and unexplored.
- How cavalier they are with their birds. Loved the idea of both Firebirds and Cinders, but the absolute disregard for their lives and their eggs was really jarring.
- The whole Royal storyline / subplot - I was really gearing up and getting into it, and then it just never went anywhere, and seeing as this is not a series (in the sense it is not to receive a sequel and any stories will be standalones), I just wonder why so much time was spent on the prince, the stones, and the series of betrayals.
What I wish for:
- I really would have loved a greater sense of time. I went back a few times, but by the time we reached Kyria, it had all flown by so quickly, and other than a few passing comments implying it had been some time since Kit had heard from her family, there’s no real indication that much time had passed. It wasn’t until the final letter from family in which her 4 year old brother is now a young man that i blinked in shock and had to reframe the whole experience to understand more than a decade had passed!
- Knowing that, I truly wish this story had been broken into at least two parts. It would lend itself so well to even a trilogy, exploring all the parts of the land, exploring the war and royal elements further, and really developing Kit and her band of knight mates, not to mention her mystery fella.
I enjoyed the story and really wish there’d be at least one more to give us the answers to so much that was left unanswered and unexplored. Get kit out of that damn tub and get the adventure rolling Ha!
*Thanks to the author and HiddenGemsBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2021
I am finding this very difficult to review. For about the first 30% of the book I just wanted to stop reading. I pushed through it and did find some aspects of the book enjoyable even though I felt the overall execution was lacking.
The world building was good. There was clearly a lot of time and energy that was put into building a world full of different plants, animals, and environments that were all unique and very different, like the Ashes or Furia. These were very enjoyable. However, these weren't often developed to their full potential and a lot of times were treated as an info dump instead of integrated into the story.
The only real character that I felt had any personality was Kit. The others just kind of blended together. And even then, you didn't get a lot about Kit. I didn't care that much about her. Somehow she's this prodigy who can fight and be top of her class without any training. It makes little sense.
There was no sense of how much time passed. The details of training were glossed over and seasons passed and that's all you know.
The book would have been better served being split into a trilogy, each focusing on a different citadel and the training in each, developing the characters and world in more detail instead of all crammed together in one giving just surface details.
There is potential here but a good editor is needed.
The world building was good. There was clearly a lot of time and energy that was put into building a world full of different plants, animals, and environments that were all unique and very different, like the Ashes or Furia. These were very enjoyable. However, these weren't often developed to their full potential and a lot of times were treated as an info dump instead of integrated into the story.
The only real character that I felt had any personality was Kit. The others just kind of blended together. And even then, you didn't get a lot about Kit. I didn't care that much about her. Somehow she's this prodigy who can fight and be top of her class without any training. It makes little sense.
There was no sense of how much time passed. The details of training were glossed over and seasons passed and that's all you know.
The book would have been better served being split into a trilogy, each focusing on a different citadel and the training in each, developing the characters and world in more detail instead of all crammed together in one giving just surface details.
There is potential here but a good editor is needed.
May 18, 2021
3/5 Stars
Kit wants more than her life of thieving to help her family. She dreams of becoming a knight; possibly even a Kyrie, the most prestigious level of knight. So she runs away to make her dream come true.
I'm having trouble reviewing this because I enjoyed the concept of this novel, but I felt like it could have been split into two novels. The first half we follow Kit on her way to joining the hopefuls that want to join the knights. And then she has her tests as a hopeful. I feel like the end of that was perfect as a novel. We got to see Kit grow into herself and make friends, along with learn about the world.
Then the second half should have been another novel. It would have shown the pass of time better, as well as giving readers a chance for a breather. It was difficult to go from one kind of potential knight to traveling to becoming another potential knight. It felt as if there wasn't enough time for Kit and her friends to make decisions. They just trained and took Tests.
However, I really enjoyed this world and the treasonous acts that almost took a backseat in the book. Sadly it seems as if there isn't going to be more to this series, even though I think it has such potential. I'd love to see the author's growth along with more of Kit.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Netgalley.
Kit wants more than her life of thieving to help her family. She dreams of becoming a knight; possibly even a Kyrie, the most prestigious level of knight. So she runs away to make her dream come true.
I'm having trouble reviewing this because I enjoyed the concept of this novel, but I felt like it could have been split into two novels. The first half we follow Kit on her way to joining the hopefuls that want to join the knights. And then she has her tests as a hopeful. I feel like the end of that was perfect as a novel. We got to see Kit grow into herself and make friends, along with learn about the world.
Then the second half should have been another novel. It would have shown the pass of time better, as well as giving readers a chance for a breather. It was difficult to go from one kind of potential knight to traveling to becoming another potential knight. It felt as if there wasn't enough time for Kit and her friends to make decisions. They just trained and took Tests.
However, I really enjoyed this world and the treasonous acts that almost took a backseat in the book. Sadly it seems as if there isn't going to be more to this series, even though I think it has such potential. I'd love to see the author's growth along with more of Kit.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Netgalley.
May 15, 2022
I would really like to give this book more stars. It is wonderfully imaginative. I love the world that was created. Kit and her family, loved them. Her life moved along from one stage to the next. Lots of action. The boys she meets along the way are great and even Bo is adorable.
Somehow it became mind numbing. The details of each land that she visits is beautiful and creative. I had to skim it though. There is a lot, a lot of description of buildings, skies, land, everything.
Kit goes through tests. These tests remind me of Harry Potter flying around or ending up underwater. Kit rides on Fire birds and moonboards and the weapons get better and more fantastic each time she levels up. The students need to learn to master them, connect to them with their minds.
The tests they took were so very long. I had to skim them too. I could not read them word for word.
If you love fantasy, this is definitely a book to try. It has many wonderful parts.
The cinder bird talk and their eggs was driving me crazy. I swear, I cannot read anymore about cinders and their eggs...lol..
Somehow it became mind numbing. The details of each land that she visits is beautiful and creative. I had to skim it though. There is a lot, a lot of description of buildings, skies, land, everything.
Kit goes through tests. These tests remind me of Harry Potter flying around or ending up underwater. Kit rides on Fire birds and moonboards and the weapons get better and more fantastic each time she levels up. The students need to learn to master them, connect to them with their minds.
The tests they took were so very long. I had to skim them too. I could not read them word for word.
If you love fantasy, this is definitely a book to try. It has many wonderful parts.
The cinder bird talk and their eggs was driving me crazy. I swear, I cannot read anymore about cinders and their eggs...lol..
December 31, 2020
This book was given to me to review, and so I have been making notes as I read, intent on giving it my honest opinion!!
At the very beginning, I found the book fast-paced and rushed, and we were thrown back of forth between characters and landscapes, which made it really difficult to follow. This all settled down around chapter 17, and from then on the story became a lot easier to follow.
I loved the anticipation and action of that first fight; it was immersive and exhilarating, which drew me to read on and discover more of Kit's training into becoming an Ash. With these next few chapters, we meet the boys that become Kit's friends, and I loved watching their friendship unfold.
I really wish we had more detail of the boys as I feel this could have really created a stronger story. The boys were written well, but I feel as if needed a little more depth and background to polish them and have them at 100%.
Overall I enjoyed the book and feel like this writer could create some pretty amazing stories in the future!!
At the very beginning, I found the book fast-paced and rushed, and we were thrown back of forth between characters and landscapes, which made it really difficult to follow. This all settled down around chapter 17, and from then on the story became a lot easier to follow.
I loved the anticipation and action of that first fight; it was immersive and exhilarating, which drew me to read on and discover more of Kit's training into becoming an Ash. With these next few chapters, we meet the boys that become Kit's friends, and I loved watching their friendship unfold.
I really wish we had more detail of the boys as I feel this could have really created a stronger story. The boys were written well, but I feel as if needed a little more depth and background to polish them and have them at 100%.
Overall I enjoyed the book and feel like this writer could create some pretty amazing stories in the future!!
January 9, 2021
The fantastical world of Alhallra was so fun to dive into. I loved the whole beginning, the characters, the story, the setting. However, unfortunately the more I read the harder it was to follow. It was nearly impossible for me to distinguish the passing of time; when Kit first mentioned it had been years I was genuinely shocked because I thought it had only been months.
The description was also lacking in some areas. I feel like I had to spend so much time trying to figure out the timeline and building my own ideas of what things looked like and how they worked that it distracted me from the plot. Also, the sudden introduction to violence was so jarring I had to put the book down for a few days. Overall the book was good, I really enjoyed the beginning and there was enough throughout that I liked to keep me interested enough to finish.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this ebook.
The description was also lacking in some areas. I feel like I had to spend so much time trying to figure out the timeline and building my own ideas of what things looked like and how they worked that it distracted me from the plot. Also, the sudden introduction to violence was so jarring I had to put the book down for a few days. Overall the book was good, I really enjoyed the beginning and there was enough throughout that I liked to keep me interested enough to finish.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this ebook.
April 11, 2021
I received this book as an E-ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I couldn't finish this book.
It wasn't bad-- I liked the characters I saw, there are lush depictions of a world that's pretty interesting, and it plot was relatively engaging.
HOWEVER, the formatting of the e-book is an absolute nightmare. I'm not sure who did it, where it came from, or how no one noticed there was an issue. No separation of paragraphs, entire sentences cut off and inserted in the middle of other sentences. I couldn't read it not because I didn't want to, but because I actually couldn't read it. There were entire sentences unfinished, only for their ends to be randomly shoved into a paragraph or two later.
If they revamp the formatting of this book, I will happily finish up, but as it is right now, I cannot.
I couldn't finish this book.
It wasn't bad-- I liked the characters I saw, there are lush depictions of a world that's pretty interesting, and it plot was relatively engaging.
HOWEVER, the formatting of the e-book is an absolute nightmare. I'm not sure who did it, where it came from, or how no one noticed there was an issue. No separation of paragraphs, entire sentences cut off and inserted in the middle of other sentences. I couldn't read it not because I didn't want to, but because I actually couldn't read it. There were entire sentences unfinished, only for their ends to be randomly shoved into a paragraph or two later.
If they revamp the formatting of this book, I will happily finish up, but as it is right now, I cannot.
May 24, 2021
An interesting fantasy tale full of action. As several others have already said, this could have been split into two so it wasn't so rushed in places, and more relationship could have been possible. I hate that the "romance" (and I'm only calling it that because the book did) was so in the dark. We get hardly any tidbits between the two, so what happens in the final test is not as heartfelt as it could have been. This somehow felt like it was rushed and didn't offer enough, while at the same time feeling like it went on forever. There are parts that could have used explaining and there was none, which made bits frustrating. I did really like the characters, and the world kept me interested, so if there is another book after this I'll most likely read it to see what happens to these characters.
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April 14, 2021Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
As much as I wanted to enjoy this book I couldn't. The writing just didn't do anything for me and some sentences were left unfinished.
The book also seemed rushed where it was almost like you couldn't catch your breath before Kit did something else.
I do believe I would try this again once the editing has been sorted as unfinished sentences leave much to the imagination and I'm don't think this is what the author was going for.
As much as I wanted to enjoy this book I couldn't. The writing just didn't do anything for me and some sentences were left unfinished.
The book also seemed rushed where it was almost like you couldn't catch your breath before Kit did something else.
I do believe I would try this again once the editing has been sorted as unfinished sentences leave much to the imagination and I'm don't think this is what the author was going for.
May 6, 2021
First of all I have to say that I really, really fell in love with this cover. The colours are a classical but the theme itself is presented so well that I was drawn to it immidiately.
I started reading without thinking much but as soon as I switched to the next sites I was absorbed in this story. The kind of massive page number (well for me) was forgotten and I read and read and read.
The storytelling is good and I loved the fast pace. The worldbuilding was great and I loved the learn more about it every time. Kit was a great maincharacter.
I started reading without thinking much but as soon as I switched to the next sites I was absorbed in this story. The kind of massive page number (well for me) was forgotten and I read and read and read.
The storytelling is good and I loved the fast pace. The worldbuilding was great and I loved the learn more about it every time. Kit was a great maincharacter.
July 27, 2021
This book was supplied to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I ended up abandoning this book, I couldn't get past the formating issues and the missing parts of sentences.
I found the characters dull and the writing style failed to draw me in. It takes a lot for me to DNF a book but I couldn't bring myself to finish this.
I ended up abandoning this book, I couldn't get past the formating issues and the missing parts of sentences.
I found the characters dull and the writing style failed to draw me in. It takes a lot for me to DNF a book but I couldn't bring myself to finish this.
September 19, 2022
Great book!
I received a copy of this book from GoodReads First Reads, for my honest review. This was written in an almost lyrical way. I enjoyed the storyline. I believe it was geared towards the tween/teenager, but it is deep enough for the adult reader. I am looking forward to more from this author.
I received a copy of this book from GoodReads First Reads, for my honest review. This was written in an almost lyrical way. I enjoyed the storyline. I believe it was geared towards the tween/teenager, but it is deep enough for the adult reader. I am looking forward to more from this author.
May 20, 2022
I found this book very plot driven, which isn't a bad thing but I prefer character driven books with lots of character development.
The setting and world building is great, but similar to other reviewers I felt like it was a lot for one book.
I was intrigued to find out there's another book!
The setting and world building is great, but similar to other reviewers I felt like it was a lot for one book.
I was intrigued to find out there's another book!
May 24, 2020
Good storyline and read
July 26, 2020
The protagonist, Kit, seems overpowered, but the descriptions ofvthe various lands are fascinating.
August 18, 2020
Completely captivating
Read in two whole evenings, thoroughly enjoyable. Follow Kit as she follows her dream with the ferocity of a tiger.
Read in two whole evenings, thoroughly enjoyable. Follow Kit as she follows her dream with the ferocity of a tiger.
October 2, 2020
A delightful adventurous read
The story was clean, with a strong female character caring and sacrificing for those she loved. I recommend it hope for a sequel
The story was clean, with a strong female character caring and sacrificing for those she loved. I recommend it hope for a sequel
November 7, 2021
I am not big on the ins and out of sci-fi but something about Kit's resilience and determination to become a knight made this a journey worth remembering.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
December 1, 2014
I liked this book, it was a very easy read and just a fun book. I really enjoyed Kit, she was definitely not an annoying main character. I couldn't read through it fast enough to see the journey Kit takes to reach being a knight.
I haven't read the other book in the Sky Lands series, because the author said they were standalone books, but I am definitely going to check out the other book because I liked the world she described in this one.
I won this on Goodreads giveaway.
I haven't read the other book in the Sky Lands series, because the author said they were standalone books, but I am definitely going to check out the other book because I liked the world she described in this one.
I won this on Goodreads giveaway.
November 29, 2014
I won a free copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I love books of this genre, and this was no exception. It was very well-written, and I liked the world and the characters. I would like to read the other books in this series.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I love books of this genre, and this was no exception. It was very well-written, and I liked the world and the characters. I would like to read the other books in this series.
May 16, 2015
It wasn't a bad book. Didn't understand the reason by the different groups of people.
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